The present invention relates to a method and system for managing a construction machine, and a processing apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for managing a construction machine, such as a hydraulic excavator, which has a plurality of sections different in working time from each other, e.g., a front operating mechanism section, a swing section and a travel section, as well as to a processing apparatus.
To determine the scheduled repair/replacement timing of a part in a construction machine such as a hydraulic excavator, it is required to know the past working time of the part. Heretofore, the working time of each part has been calculated on the basis of the engine running time. As a result, the scheduled repair/replacement timing of parts has been calculated on the basis of the engine running time.
In a maintenance monitoring apparatus disclosed in JP,A 1-288991, for example, a time during which an engine is running (engine running time) is measured using a timer based on an output from a sensor for detecting the hydraulic pressure of an engine oil or an output from a sensor for detecting power generation of an alternator, and the engine running time measured using the timer is subtracted from the target replacement time of the relevant part, which is stored in a memory. Then, the resulted time difference is displayed on a display means. By checking the displayed time difference, each part including, e.g., oil and an oil filter, can be replaced without missing the proper timing of replacement of the part.
However, the above-described prior art has problems as follows.
In a construction machine such as a hydraulic excavator, parts to be subjected to maintenance include not only an engine oil and an engine oil filter, but also parts of a front as a working mechanism, including a bucket prong, a front pin (e.g., a joint pin between a boom and an arm), a bushing around the front pin, the arm and a bucket themselves serving as front parts, parts of a swing device, including a swing transmission oil, a swing transmission seal and a swing wheel, as well as parts of a travel device, including a track transmission oil, a track transmission seal, a track shoe, a track roller and a track motor. Of those parts, the engine oil and the engine oil filter are parts working during the engine operation. The front bucket prong, the front pin (e.g., the joint pin between the boom and the arm), and the bushing around the front pin, the arm and the bucket are parts working during the front operation (excavation). The swing transmission oil, the swing transmission seal and the swing wheel are parts working during the swing operation. The track transmission oil, the track transmission seal, the track shoe, the track roller and the track motor are parts working during the travel operation.
The engine, the front, the swing body and the travel body are sections different in working time from each other, and each have a specific working (operating) time. More specifically, the engine starts running upon turning-on of a key switch, whereas the front, the swing body and the travel body start working upon the operator operating them while the engine is running. Accordingly, the engine running time, the front operating time, the swing time and the travel time have different values from each other.
In spite of such situations regarding the working time for each section, the part working time has been uniformly calculated on the basis of the engine running time. Therefore, the working time of each of parts associated with the front, the swing body and the travel body, which has been calculated on the basis of the engine running time, differs from the actual working time, and the scheduled repair/replacement timing calculated from the measured working time cannot be said as being appropriate one. This has resulted in a problem that the part is repaired or replaced in spite of the part being still usable, or it is damaged prior to reaching the scheduled repair/replacement timing.
The engine, a main pump, a pilot pump, an alternator, etc. also have suffered from a similar problem, i.e., one that the part is repaired in spite of the part being still usable, or it is damaged prior to reaching the scheduled repair timing.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method and system for managing a construction machine, and a processing apparatus, with which the appropriate scheduled repair/replacement timing of parts can be decided even in a construction machine having a plurality of sections that differ in working time from each other.
(1) To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for managing a construction machine, the method comprising a first step of measuring a working time for each of sections of a construction machine, and storing and accumulating the measured working time as operation data in a database; and a second step of reading the operation data and calculating the scheduled repair/replacement timing of a part belonging to each section on the basis of the working time of that section.
With those features, since the repair/replacement timing of a part belonging to each section is calculated on the basis of the working time of that section, an appropriate scheduled repair/replacement timing of parts can be decided even in a construction machine having a plurality of sections that differ in working time from each other.
(2) In above (1), preferably, the second step includes steps of calculating, based on the read operation data, a working time of a part belonging to each section on the basis of the working time of that section, and comparing the calculated working time with a preset target repair/replacement time interval, thereby calculating a remaining time up to next repair/replacement of the relevant part.
With those features, since the remaining time up to next repair/replacement of a part belonging to each section is calculated on the basis of the working time of that section, the appropriate scheduled repair/replacement timing of parts can be decided even in a construction machine having a plurality of sections that differ in working time from each other.
(3) Further, to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for managing a construction machine, the method comprising a first step of measuring a working time for each of sections in each of a plurality of construction machines, transferring the measured working time for each section to a base station computer, and storing and accumulating the transferred working time as operation data in a database; and a second step of, in the base station computer, reading the operation data regarding a particular construction machine from the database and calculating a scheduled repair/-replacement timing of a part belonging to each section on the basis of the working time of that section.
With those features, as stated in above (1), the appropriate scheduled repair/replacement timing of parts can be decided even in a construction machine having a plurality of sections that differ in working time from each other. In addition, the scheduled repair/replacement timing of respective parts in a plurality of construction machines working in fields can be managed together in a base station.
(4) In above (3), preferably, the second step includes steps of calculating, based on the read operation data, a working time of a part belonging to each section on the basis of the working time of that section, and comparing the calculated working time with a preset target repair/replacement time interval, thereby calculating a remaining time up to next repair/replacement of the relevant part.
With those features, as stated in above (2), the appropriate scheduled repair/replacement timing of parts can be decided even in a construction machine having a plurality of sections that differ in working time from each other. In addition, the scheduled repair/replacement timing of respective parts in a plurality of construction machines working in fields can be managed together in a base station.
(5) In above (1) to (4), preferably, the construction machine is a hydraulic excavator, and the sections include a front, a swing body, a travel body, an engine, and a hydraulic pump of the hydraulic excavator.
With those features, the scheduled repair/replacement timing can be decided for each of parts belonging to the front, the swing body and the travel body of the hydraulic excavator, as well as for the engine and the hydraulic pump thereof.
(6) Also, to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a system for managing a construction machine, the system comprising operation data measuring and collecting means for measuring and collecting a working time for each of sections in each of a plurality of construction machines; and a base station computer installed in a base station and having a database for storing and accumulating, as operation data, the working time measured and collected for each section, the base station computer reading the operation data of a particular construction machine from the database and calculating a scheduled repair/replacement timing of a part belonging to each section on the basis of the working time of that section.
By using such a system, the managing methods of above (1) and (3) can be implemented.
(7) In above (6), preferably, the base station computer calculates, based on the operation data based on the read operation data, a working time of a part belonging to each section on the basis of the working time of that section, and compares the calculated working time with a preset target repair/replacement time interval, thereby calculating a remaining time up to next repair/replacement of the relevant part.
By using such a system, the managing methods of above (2) and (4) can be implemented.
(8) In above (6) and (7), preferably, the construction machine is a hydraulic excavator, and the sections include a front, a swing body, a travel body, an engine, and a hydraulic pump of the hydraulic excavator.
With those features, the managing method of above (5) can be implemented.
(9) Moreover, to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a processing apparatus which stores and accumulates, as operation data in a database, a working time for each of sections in each of a plurality of construction machines, reads the operation data regarding a particular construction machine from the database, and calculates a scheduled repair/replacement timing of a part belonging to each section on the basis of the working time of that section.
By using such a processing apparatus, the managing system of above (6) can be constructed.
(10) In addition, to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a processing apparatus which stores and accumulates, as operation data in a database, a working time for each of sections in each of a plurality of construction machines, reads the operation data regarding a particular construction machine from the database, calculates a working time of a part belonging to each section on the basis of the working time of that section, and compares the calculated working time with a preset target repair/replacement time interval, thereby calculating a remaining time up to next repair/replacement of the relevant part.
By using such a processing apparatus, the managing system of above (7) can be constructed.